How To Become a Corporate Paralegal

To become a corporate paralegal, you usually need a bachelor's degree and 1-2 years of experience. The most common jobs before becoming a corporate paralegal are paralegal, legal assistant, and litigation paralegal. Hiring managers expect a corporate paralegal to have soft skills such as communication skills, computer skills, and interpersonal skills.

The national average salary for corporate paralegals is $67,515, but with the right certifications and experience, they can make up to $106,000. Getting a certification as a Certified Paralegal (CP) will help you to earn more as a corporate paralegal.

Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 39,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

How to become a Corporate Paralegal in 5 steps:

  • Step 1: Explore corporate paralegal education
  • Step 2: Develop corporate paralegal skills
  • Step 3: Complete relevent training/internship
  • Step 4: Research corporate paralegal duties
  • Step 5: Prepare your resume

Key Steps To Become a Corporate Paralegal

  1. Explore Corporate Paralegal Education

    If you're interested in becoming a corporate paralegal, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 61.1% of corporate paralegals have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.9% of corporate paralegals have master's degrees. Even though most corporate paralegals have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

    Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a corporate paralegal. When we researched the most common majors for a corporate paralegal, we found that they most commonly have legal support services, business and political science.

    Corporate Paralegal Degrees

    Bachelors

    61.1 %

    Associate

    18.7 %

    Certificate

    7.0 %

    Corporate Paralegal MajorPercentages
    Legal Support Services26.40%
    Business14.40%
    Political Science10.20%
    Law7.60%
    Other Degrees41.50%

  2. Develop Corporate Paralegal Skills

    It'll be a good idea to develop corporate paralegal skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in corporate paralegal job descriptions:

    SkillsPercentages
    Litigation9.42%
    Corporate Governance7.25%
    Legal Research6.08%
    Mergers4.81%
    Securities4.73%
    Show More

  3. Complete Relevent Training/Internship

    Corporate paralegals spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new corporate paralegals learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time it takes to gain competency as a corporate paralegal based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real corporate paralegal resumes.

    Average Amount Of Time At Training

    None

    Less than 1 month

    1-3 months

    3-6 months

    6-12 months

    1-2 years

    2-4 years

    4-10 years

    More than 10 years

  4. Research Corporate Paralegal Duties

    When you decide to become a corporate paralegal, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most corporate paralegal jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:

    • Manage a team of five to prepare over 100 UCC-1 forms to meet a 48 hour deadline.
    • Achieve sole responsibility for administration of all estates and guardianships.
    • Prepare documents such as estoppel certificates, subordination agreements and commencement agreements.
    • Collect and prepare information and draft answers to department litigation including informational statements, pleadings, and affidavits.
    • Involve in all aspects of litigation support including legal research, factual investigations, document review/management, and trial preparation.
    • Analyze and review of new and existing commercial lease agreements, estoppel certificates, subordination and non-disturbance agreements and lease amendments.

  5. Prepare Your Resume

    Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Corporate Paralegal Resume templates

    Build a professional Corporate Paralegal resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Corporate Paralegal resume.

    Corporate Paralegal Resume
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    Corporate Paralegal Resume

  6. Apply For a Corporate Paralegal Job

    With your ready resume, it's time to start searching for a new job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

    Corporate Paralegal Jobs

    7. How To Become a Corporate Paralegal
    How To Become a Corporate Paralegal Career Overview
Top Corporate Paralegal Jobs Near You

Average Salary for a Corporate Paralegal

Corporate Paralegals in America make an average salary of $67,515 per year or $32 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $106,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $42,000 per year.
Average Corporate Paralegal Salary
$67,515 Yearly
$32.46 hourly
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Updated November 18, 2022